Tunnel Spring Wilderness Area

Along the Nevada-Utah border, the Tunnel Springs Wilderness area is edged on the southern side by Beaver Dam State Park. This area has steep mountainous canyons, long ridges, and rough drainages located at the head of Beaver Dam Wash. Various kinds of volcanic rocks predominate the landscape. Vegetation is mostly pinyon pine, juniper and sagebrush. Along the washes willow, wild rose, and other stream vegetation grow. Five to seven miles of streams support trout fisheries, unique in this desert ecosystem. Rainbow trout live in the perennial waters of Beaver Dam Wash. Beaver Dam Creek is known to be habitat for the Virgin River spinedace, speckled dace, and desert sucker. Given the amount of water in the area a variety of wildlife, most noteably birds, frequent this wilderness. Birds that may be seen in the area include ferruginous hawk, Swainson’s hawk, southern spotted owl, long-billed curlew, mountain plover, western snowy plover, western yellow-billed cuckoo, white-faced ibis, and Arizona Bell’s vireo. Rodents include Merriam’s kangaroo rat.